Moving encrypted data

Discussion in 'All other topics' started by Daurs, Jul 8, 2009.

  1. Daurs

    Daurs Member

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    So i couldnt find a good anwser to this on the intetnet.

    Few questions related to moving data from / between encrypted hard disks.

    1. If I move data from an encrypted hard disk to a hard disk that's not encrypted, will the data still be encrypted or not?


    2. If i move / download data into an encrypted hard disk, does the data become encrypted automatically?

    3. If i move data from an encrypted hard disk into another hard disk that's encrypted, how does that work out?


    Thanks for any replies
     
    Daurs, Jul 8, 2009
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  2. dailun

    dailun Active member

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    There are several methods that may be used to encrypt data to disk.

    Are you talking about encrypting at the file level or the LUN level?

    I work with storage encryption equipment on a day-to-day basis. My particular equipment encrypts at the LUN level.

    For my equipment, the answer is:

    1. If I move data from an encrypted hard disk to a hard disk that's not encrypted, will the data still be encrypted or not?

    NO. When data is moved from an encrypted LUN it is decrypted first. If it is placed on a cleartext (unencrypted) LUN it is placed in the clear.


    2. If i move / download data into an encrypted hard disk, does the data become encrypted automatically?

    YES.

    3. If i move data from an encrypted hard disk into another hard disk that's encrypted, how does that work out?

    The data is decrypted with the key from the source LUN into cleartext data, then encrypted with the key of the target LUN before it's placed onto the target LUN.

    Note that this applies to LUN based encryption (what you may be referring to as disk encryption). File based encryption works a whole "'nother way".
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2009
    dailun, Jul 8, 2009
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  3. Daurs

    Daurs Member

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    Thanks for the reply; I'm fairly certain that the encryption is at lun level, I wanted to encrypt the entire hard disk (no one with OS on it) instead of files. Will help me forward a lot !
     
    Daurs, Jul 8, 2009
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  4. dailun

    dailun Active member

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    Glad it helped. Please see note elaboration to question 2

    2. If i move / download data into an encrypted hard disk, does the data become encrypted automatically?

    YES. If the LUNs have different encryption keys (typical), the data will be decrypted from the first LUN and then re-encrypted using the new LUNs encryption key.

    Encryption at the LUN level typically requires an external appliance.
     
    dailun, Jul 8, 2009
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